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Friday, December 31, 2010

Interesting to Note that Tiger list player Dylan Olsen has reportedly signed an entry level deal with the Chicago Blackhawks. He had decided to stay with the NCAA route rather than play for a major junior team in Canada. His WHL rights belong to the Tigers.

Sources say he was going to be academically ineligible for his 2nd semester, and that he is headed to Chicago's farm team the Rockford Ice Hogs after the world juniors.

From the games I have watched on TV he has looked uncomfortable at the World Juniors and I especially did not like the two attempts where he pushed players into his own goalie.

From the sounds of things he doesn't want to go the Junior route and with the ncaa not working out his overall development might have been better served playing up here. Its too bad considering an Olsen type player is what the Tigers could use on the back-end.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

The Tigers have been playing with a depleted line up of sorts, and to get a split is pretty impressive. They have only dressed 16 skaters the last 2 games. The good News is that Kale Kessey and Sebastien Owuya are expected back next game.

Shinkaruk has goals in three straight gamesEmerson Etem has 1 goal in two games.------------

FutureIts getting near trade deadline time and the Rumours are taking flight. Right now IMO the Tigers have the potential of wining a 7 game series with every team in their conference with perhaps the exception of Red Deer. It is very close to call and many series could be as close as a coin flip. (Their are also many team in the other conference who would be close calls If the Tigers reach the final).

I would imagine Red Deer, Kootenay, and Moose Jaw would all look at gearing up for a run. Saskatoon may add a piece or two as well. Along with the Tigers each team will be looking to improve their team as their is no dominant runaway team.

If the Tigers stood pat I would be a little disappointed. However next year the Tigers should still have quite a bit of talent in bunz, etem, shinkaruk, harrison, grbavac, petryk, bredo, kessey. A perfect world would see them acquire a strong 2 way defenceman with a good first pass who could be back next year, and possibly a defensive forward/ or 50 point guy who could also return. Its possible that the Tigers remain strong next year as well.

With their 20 year old situation next year, I would lay a guess and say Konan, Grbavac would be locks(if not signed in the offseason) and possibly a return of Owuya, otherwise they probably have a spot open unless given to Dezman.---------------

Due to a lot of personal changes going on, this blog may or may not be a little quiet during the next 2 months.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

I'm going to give out my version of a player scout report cards this year. I'm going to give each player two different grades: A team Grade, and an NHL Grade.

The team grade is based upon the players ability and more-so towards how the player is performing up to his ability.

With the NHL Grade I'm going to use the Hockey's Future rating scale. It is a rating out of 1-10 for the players NHL ability, and a grade from A-F on their potential of hitting their expected ability.-------------------------------------

Linden Vey

Team Grade: A+Nothing more can be asked of him. Some games he is a man among boys on the ice. Coming to games as a fan you expect him to get a point or two a game, and he usually delivers. Kills penalties, plays the powerplay, his only knock is his physicality,however he has a touch of Pavel Datsyuk in him, he would rather steal the puck cleanly than ride a player into the boards and it works for him.

NHL Grade: 7BAbove average skill in every facet. He is incredibly smart, has excellent body positioning, adapts well to changes, excellent conditioning, and skilled which is why I think he will be in the nhl someday.

He is one of those guys that wont necessarily be on the Kings radar to make an immediate high impact and become a superstar but he will get a couple years in the minors then work his way up. I think eventually he will be good enough to be a 2nd-3rd line caliber player. His smarts and adaptability make me beleive that he could possibly be a surprise player and have an outside shot at first line material.-------------------------------------

Hunter Shinkaruk

Team Grade: A

After missing his 15 yr old season in midget he has made a pretty big impression on the Tigers roster. It took him 10 games or so before he had the confidence to take that next step. The Tigers had a small hole in trying to fit a skill player intothe top 6 and Shinkaruk has filled that hole rather well. His offensive potential looks bright, and he plays that dirty shirt style hockey. He has offensive smarts and is one of the better Tigers at blocking shooting and passing lanes, and has the potential to be an effective penalty killer.

NHL Grade: 7.5D (Still a little too early to tell, hence the D)

With his draft year not until 2013 he will be on the radar for quite sometime. I could see him being a really high nhl pick in the future if he can keep improving.----------------------------------------------------------------

Emerson Etem

Team Grade: A+A Slow start but that has long passed, he is a threat to score every night. Etem and Vey have developed incredible chemistry together on the ice, and it is a pleasure to watch them perform. Emerson Leads the league in short handed goals with 5.

NHL Grade: 7.5BIncredible straight line speed. Very accurate shot, and long reach.Some scouts have yellow flags about him saying his game is one dimensional, but he has added another tool as a potential penalty killer. His long reach and straight line speed makes him a good defensive weapon as well as he's someone who can go on the offense if given a chance and still get back in time. I think his transition from the whl to nhl will be fairly quick, in that he wont spend a lot of time in the ahl, maybe a year at most. Its either NHL or WHL with him next year.----------------------

Devan Dubyk

Team Grade: A- Cant ask for more from a backup goaltender, he was challenging Bunz to become the starter when Bunz was finding his game. I think he is the perfect backup goalie. He is a Positional goalie, and likes to shove rebounds into the corners or out of play.

NHL Grade: 2.5 CI dont think he has what it takes to be an NHL goalie. There is a slight glimmer of potential, but I'm not sure if he can keep up a strong starter type pace for an entire season on a minor pro team.

He played phenomenal hockey and single handily earned the Tigers 4 points against Red Deer early in the season. I think Dubyk should find those game tapes and re-watch them. If he can find that form on a consistent basis he might be able to turn some heads in the pro level, But a whl goalie who has never been a starter might have trouble finding a pro team to play on.---------------------

Wacey Hamilton

Team Grade: A+

His leadership on and off the ice is outstanding. He gets an A by default by coming back to the Tigers and turning down 2 AHL contracts. He is very good at creating room in the neutral zone, and for a smaller type body on the ice displays a physical ability. He shows toughness playing through injuries and has a higher than average skillset at the whl level. I wonder if he needs different elbow pads he is always adjusting them on the ice :)

NHL Grade: 4.5BHe is one of those players that his potential is in between the NHL and AHL. Wacey does have a high determination and work ethic which is why I think he would be a definite asset on an ahl team. I see him as more of a career minor league type player, but I am in favor of throwing him in the ahl farm team and seeing what he can do with it. When I think of Wacey I think of Former Tiger Vernon Fiddler.---------------------------

Cole Grbavac

Team Grade: A-

He brings energy, and plays a power forward type grinding role. Not afraid to drop the mitts when he needs to. He has tripled his numbers from last year and that has come from hard work. I like his energy level and he is an aggressive and protects the puck well along the boards.

NHL Grade: 3CI like his size, his toughness, his energy and his play in the corners, however his offensive ability at the next level is pretty limited. He is the prototypical 3rd line player.

I think he has the potential to stick around in the ahl playing a middleweight crash bang grinder unsung hero type role. He could develop into a 3rd/4th line ahl'er but I would hate to see him loose a potential college scholarship over a couple years in the ahl. From what I heard Grbavac had a solid camp with the Dallas stars in pre-season I wonder if they invite him back next year.----------------------------

Tyler Bunz

Team Grade: A-

A bit of an inconsistent start but he has made a ton of high quality saves. He has gotten real hot lately and has been a big factor in the Tigers recent success. He is an elite level whl goalie.

NHL Grade: 7.5 C

Extremely mobile and athletic in net, he is a positional goalie with very good reflexes.

He has the ability to make high quality saves look routine, he also has a pretty good one on one ability. He likes to handle the puck and help out the defensman. I'm not really an expert on goaltenders but I think he has the potential to be at least an nhl backup.----------------------------------------------------

Tyler Pitlick

Team Grade: B+The former NCAA'er had a pretty slow start but lately he has been playing really well. For the Tigers to make some noise in the playoffs they will need both scoring lines to score regularly. Tyler Pitlick brings a dynamic offensive ability 5 on 5 and if Pitlick were to catch fire it would help vault the Tigers into an elite level whl team.

NHL Grade: 7.5 CHe has the size and skill to play in a top 6 role. He has a big body presence and the capability to throw punishing hits. If he keeps his feet moving, and can keep a constant effort level in both zones he may have second line, possibly first line potential. I like him better as a winger over a center.-------------------------------------------

Ryan Harrison

Team Grade: B

Speedster impressed in early parts of the season. He is a bit overshadowed when he plays alongside Linden Vey and Emerson Etem, but he has the speed and skill to score at the whl. I think he plays fairly consistent but I'd like to see him emerge and become a bigger scoring threat. I think he is a similar player to Wacey Hamilton, albeit 2 years younger.

NHL Grade: 4.5C-------------------------------------

Mathew Konan

Team Grade: A-

I think his game has improved by huge margins this year. He has a mean streak in him like Robyn Regher of the flames and tries to smash people into the boards. His long reach and quickness has swatted away many opponent scoring chances. I think he is the Tigers most valuable defender.

NHL Grade: 5.5 CA defensive defenceman. He looks like he still needs to grow into his frame a little. I like his quickness and his reach. I also like his shot from the point as its usually a foot and a half off the ice perfect for tipping, however he doesn't get to use it much. One knack i have on him is that sometimes he takes his time getting back to the front of the net after pinning a guy along the boards.

Similar to former Tiger Gord Baldwin except konan is slightly quickerl, and slightly taller. He has also shown in the past a willingness to fight. I think he is good enough to get a shot in the ahl, and with time and seasoning he could possibly get a shot as an nhl depth defenceman.------------------

Thomas Carr 3B

Team Grade: BIncredible start to the season, then fell off the map with inconsistent play, and now he is back to being relatively consistent. He is able to take a hit and not retaliate. He needs to focus on playing a smart defensive game and make good first passes.

NHL Grade: 3CHe works hard, and will stand up for teammates. His defensive hockey sense is above average, his skill and skating is average. I think it would be good for him to play CIS hockey next year.--------------------------------

Dylan Bredo

Team Grade: B+Bredo has made big strides in his game this year. He does a lot of the little things right. He plays a smart game. When everyone is healthy he fits in to the Tigers 3rd line really well.

NHL Grade: Unsure 5.5D (Subject To change)Big body, skill isn't overwhelming but he is a smart player. Not afraid to fight. He would project as a 3rd line defensive checker. He might be worth a late round pick.---------------

Reid Petryk

Team Grade B+

Reid has done a good job on the 4th line with rotating rookies. He was anchoring the 4th line, but lately with a couple guys away at camps and shinkaruk out with the flu Petryk has been giving more ice time and he has potted a few goals.

NHL Grade: UnsureI do see an offensive ability in him that hasn't quite come out yet, he might be a bit of a late bloomer, and he has pretty good size. I think he needs to show a little more scoring prowess to be a late round draft pick, as he projects to be more of a 3rd/4th line scorer.----------------------

Scott McKay

Team Grade: B+/- ratio is very good. I like his defensive smarts. The Tigers have recently put him on forward with Etem,shinkaruk, and Dezman out of the lineup.

NHL Grade: Unsure / 3CSimilar to Thomas Carr. I'd like to watch him more as the season progresses, but right now I dont see anything that stands out.---------------

Dylan Bunsinius

Team Grade: BA lot more mobile this year. Sometimes a victim to the Tigers defensive numbers. He does make rookie mistakes every once in a while.

NHL Grade: 6.5 DA bit early to tell. But I like a lot of things about his potential. I think he is a bit underrated, but his skill is still a little raw. He has shown flashes of skill and smarts that remind me of jay bouwmeester.

He has a very good first pass ability. He has big body type at 6'2 and skates fairly well. I think he has a shot at getting drafted because of the potential he shows.--------------------------------

Kale Kessey

Team Grade: B

This wont be a popular opinion but I expected a little more from him this year. Prior to the season I saw him as a potential 2nd round power forward type pick. My opinion of him has slid down as he seems to only display a physical grinder/enforcer type role as his puck control isn't that great.

I'd like to see him add more than just the physical element. Lately he has been picking and choosing when to amp up and throw a big hit, as its either a big hit or none at all, But he is an intimidating factor on the ice.

NHL Grade: 5.5 CHis biggest asset is his physical play and his physical smarts. He also not afraid to fight, and displays a confident attitude on the ice. This alone I think will get him drafted in the middle to late rounds.--------------------

Sebastien Owuya

Team Grade: B

I expected more off him at the start, as he came in quite raw and It has taken a bit for him to adjust. The last month he has been playing with a lot more confidence. He has a long reach and has been making a good first pass.

NHL Grade: Unsure 5DWith the Tigers road trip in November I haven't seen him enough to make an accurate decision. He is a big kid, but needs to work on his balance. Also has a tendency to turn away from physical confrontations. He has a lot of things to work on before He makes it into an nhl lineup.------------------------

Vahe Zakaryan

Team Grade: B

He is behind the top 6 and is not a physical 3rd liner, so by default he gets dropped to the 4th line and rotates with some of the rookies. Next year he will be expected to take on more of an offensive role. He has shown flashes of brilliance and I think once playoff comes he will be a constant on the 4th line. He hasn't seen a whole lot of icetime with his injuries but I think he is capable of putting up a few more points.

NHL Grade: UnsureHe has some speed and skill but as an 18 year late bloomer he wont be on the nhl radar until he can put up some numbers.--------------------------------

Boston Leier

Team Grade: B+

Leier has been a victim to the numbers game at the forward position. But he has tried to do whatever is necessary to get icetime. He has tried to play a physical role on the ice, and he has shown that he is an above average fighter.

NHL Grade: UnsureA 17 who hasn't seen a whole lot of icetime with the Tigers. I do see a bit of upside in him at the whl level but with limited ice in the WHL he hasn't played enough to show he is draft material.--------------------------------

Patrik Parkkonen

Team Grade: BI thought the Tigers used him a tad too much early in the season. He has skill but he wasn't nearly quite adjusted to the whl speed. He has been playing ok recently. Patrik shows an impressive ability at digging the puck out of the corners, and the ability to take a hit really well against guys much bigger than him. For a small guy he plays pretty well in the corners, and I like his defensive instincts.

NHL Grade: UnsureHe has some skill but his size will be a big disadvantage he will need to overcome. This is also Patrik's draft year but I dont see enough to warrant a pick at this point.----------------------------------------

Sam Dezman

Team Grade: B+

Very good upper body physical strength. He knows his role and despite missing a couple years with concussion problems he is willing to do the dirty work if needed. He has a hint of skill that he displays every once in a while but his 2 years injured from hockey has limited that ability in coming out. Along with zakaryan barring trades I think he will be a constant on the 4th line once the playoffs rolls around. He took a big unsuspecting hit a couple games ago and I believe he is out with a concussion.

NHL Grade: 1.5 DA first year whl'er at 19 is pretty rare. Dezman sees limited ice with the Tigers. Its too bad he had concussion problems because who knows what he could have accomplished with a couple more years of whl experience. ------------------------------------------------

Jace Coyle

Team Grade: B-

The reason I dropped him so low is because of a couple things. He had a poor start to the season, and I think he is capable of much more compared to his ability. He also given up to many unforced errors to my liking. I think he is over-evaluating his ability and not playing up to par.

NHL Grade: 3.5 BJace Coyle's first pass, passing instincts is a huge weakness. He frequently ignores the first open man then rifles a wrist shot half a foot off the ice to relatively covered players.

He has also made to many giveaways for a 20 year old nhl prospet. He posseses elite level nhl speed and stamina, but his hockey sense is below average. His style is more of an offensive defenceman but his shot is just average. I dont see that much to get excited about.--------------------------------------------

Curtis Valk

Team Grade: B- Valk has been victim of the numbers game on forward, and has seen limited ice. Unless he can find a way to generate more chances he will continue to see spot duty and he could be the odd man out during playoff time. He has however had a couple pretty good games lately.

When opponents see Valk on the ice their eyes tend to light up thinking they can get in a good hit, and Valk hasn't been able to use a quick lateral ability to get out of the way. He will be expected to produce more points next year. This year is a year for him to get his feet wet.

NHL Grade: Unsure------------------------------------------------

Tigers Christmas list1. They are playing better defensively as of late. However I would still like a solid #1 two way defenseman to play along with Matt Konan as the top shut down pair.

Coyle and Carr would be better served as a solid #2 pairing. Then Owuya, and Bunsinius/McKay/parkonnen would fight it out for the last spot. Although there would be a slight complication of having too many defenceman.

2.I would also like to see quicker puck movement on their powerplay. 3 or 4 quick passes then a shot.

3. More scoring from sources other than Vey and Etem or they will be heavily keyed on. I'd like to see more low shots from the point that aren't shot right into a defenders shinpads.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Tonight was another classic Canes Vs Tiger game. Hard hits, a few fights and intense game atmosphere. Lethbridge Cam Braes knocked out Wacey Hamilton with a couple punches and Boston Leier TKO'd Brady Ramsay as the refs stopped the fight after a wicked punch.

The Canes were in the giving mood as they gave up a shorthanded goal To Linden Vey then took a handful of undisciplined penalties in the second period to give the Tigers a full 2 minute 5 on 3, and took another penalty during the 5on3.

The Tigers were only credited with 1 powerplay goal, but they scored a second goal soon after the last penalty expired. Curtis Valk was then sprung on a breakaway a minute later and made a nice deke backhand to put the Tigers up 4-1. (The canes pulled goaltender Dylan Tait replaced by Brandon Anderson, Tait looked visibly frustrated at this point good move by their coach)

The Tigers went into autopilot mode and the Canes gave the Tigers a scare scoring 2 goals in the first 10 minutes of the third. However they would fail to get the equalizer, and Jace Coyle made a risky 100 yard shot into the empty net to seal a 5-3 win.

The Tigers finish the first half 1 point back of Kootenay, tied with Red Deer with 2 games in hand on both teams.

The Tigers now have 10 days off for the Christmas break, then have a very important home and home with the Kootenay Ice. I'll be doing a little first half report card about the Tigers play which I'll post in a few days.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Tyler Bunz played another outstanding game, and the Hockey Gods were smiling on him today as The Canes rang the post about 4 times. Tyler Bunz now has a G.A.A of 2.39 which is 2nd best in the whl, and a .918 save percentage which is 4th best. The Tigers offense has been simmering lately but Tyler Bunz amazing play in net has picked up the slack.

The Hurricanes always seem to play the Tigers tough. These two teams will lay it all on the line tomorrow as it is the last game before Christmas for both teams.

Hunter Shinkaruk did not dress, Emerson Etem is away at world junior camp, but Vahe Zakaryan was back in the lineup tonight returning from injury. The Canes had a couple defenseman out with injuries so they called up 15 year old Joel Topping.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Player NewsHunter Shinkaruk was scratched for tonight, apparently he has a case of the flu and is day-to-day. Emerson Etem will now depart for Team U.S.A's selection camp which starts on Friday. Linden Vey did dress tonight and he apparently got back into the Hat mid-afteroon. He must have been a bit tired as this was his 3rd game in three nights, and he was also a victim of a 6:00 am Toronto phone call this morning :(

Goaltenders BattleIt was a goaltenders battle tonight at the Arena, as both goalies put on a goal-tending clinic. Tyler Bunz was good when called upon and kept the Tigers in the game when the Rockets pushed early, and also stopped a pair of Rocket breakaways. The Rockets and Tigers both hit a couple posts.

GamePlayIt was a pretty intense game out there. The atmosphere resembled a playoff type game and despite the 2-0 score it was a fun game to watch.

Kelowna played with a real strong aggressive fore-check and the Tigers were able to get some chances off their quick transition game. Kelowna was playing very physical in the first two periods. It took the Tigers a good ten minutes of the first period before they were able to adapt and start evening out the scoring chances.

Despite Kelowna's very high work ethic in the first it was the Tigers who scored the games first goal off a rebound. The puck was sitting ten feet in front of the goalie in a little scrum and Tyler Pitlick neatly gave a backhand 2 foot pass over to Jace Coyle who snapped it home.

In the third period Kelowna seemed to tire and the Tigers started getting some quality chances but their goaltenders Adam Brown played a big part in keeping it a one goal game.

Empty NetterEmerson Etem scored his league leading fifth shorthanded goal. It was a 6-4 late in the game when the Rockets pulled their goaltender.

Player thoughtsI thought Coyle has been in a bit of a funk lately and he played a good first two periods, but reverted to bad habbit's in the third period.

I have been impressed with the improvement of Matt Konan, Sebastien Owuya, Reid Petryk, and Dylan Bredo. The Tigers defense as a whole has been playing better, including Tyler Bunz.

I also like the development of Dylan Businius. His playing style reminds me of Jay Bouwmeester. Businius made a bad mistake tonight passing without looking and gave the Rockets a breakaway, but I see skills in him which makes me think he will be a pretty valuable player down the road as he is still fairly young at 17.

Tyler Pitlick I thought has been playing pretty good lately as well.

Physical PlayThere were some big hits thrown from both sides. Sam Dezman was seeing first/second line minutes tonight until he took a big hit from a Kelowna blueliner, and left the game. Near the end of the game a Rocket player took a big hit from Sebastien Owuya along the boards and immediately headed to the bench during their brief 6-4. Rocket players Zak Stebner and Shane McColgan both took big hits but both returned to the game.

The Rockets were Missing Tyson Barrie, last years whl defenceman of the year, and their head coach Ryan Huska who is an assistant for Team Canada this year.

LinksGameSheetRegan's Rant - he has had some good stuff on his blog about the Rockets Road Trip. It looks like they have been keeping base camp in medicine hat through the past few days and apparently they love eating at Houston's Pizza.

---------------Tigers Get CHL Top 10 Honorable MentionWith the Tigers Win last night, the Tigers win percentage is now a hair better than Kootenay and Red Deer. They also Tied Red Deer in the standings. Both teams have a game in hand on the Tigers. Kootenay Remains 1 point ahead of them. However Both teams play tonight while the Tigers remain Idle.

Vey was pointless in game one, but In game two Linden Vey had a goal and an assist. It is expected that first cuts will come Tuesday morning. Then their will be one final game Tuesday night, and the final team will be named on Wednesday.-----------

Vey Released from Selection CampLinden Vey was among the first round of cuts Tuesday morning Tough to make an impression after 2 games. I doubt Vey will arrive in time to play tonight against Kelowna, but it is possible if he catches an early flight.http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/story/?id=345454

Sunday, December 12, 2010

I took a bit of a break the last week, hence the no recaps on the last two Tigers games.

Tonight's game in Lethbridge sounded like a barn burner. The Tigers came back twice from 2 goal deficits. There were a bundle of fights, and the Tigers pulled Deven Dubyk after the 5th Hurricane goal. Bunz was perfect stopping all 13 shots he faced in relief. The Tigers are now also a perfect 4-0 in shootouts.

Tonigh'ts 2 points was doubly good as Red Deer and Kootenay both lost tonight so the Tigers inch closer to both of them.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Team U.S.A announced their world Junior evaluation rosters this morning.

Tyler Pitlick was not on the list. Tyler Pitlick was cut from the U.S.A summer camp, and recently the U.S.A received word that 4 players who were playing in the AHL would be allowed to participate, so that might have factored into the equation.

Emerson Etem was named to the team. I suspected he would be named as he "tweeted" from his twitter account that he was excited to represent the west coat of the U.S.A, however he has since deleted that comment.

The Tigers will have 3 players competing in world tournaments with Linden Vey, Emerson Etem, and Hunter Shinkaruk. Shinkaruk is the only player guaranteed to make their respective teams. Vey, and Etem will both need to impress to make their teams. Bob Mackenzie has said that the roster for team Canada will be fairly wide open.

Team Canada's camp starts on December 11th, which means Vey has one more game as a Tigers before he heads off. Emerson Etem camp gets started the following friday (17th) so he has a couple games with the Tigers before heading off.Shinkaruks tournament starts on December 28th so he has a few games to go yet.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

An excellent finish to the Tigers road trip. They went 4-1-1-0 (9 of 12 points) against 6 pretty tough teams who had records above .500. Jeff Bromley on his blog stated that the Tigers played a real physical game, and he felt that Kootenay's goaltender Nathan Lieuwen kept the Ice in the game.

OvertimeThe Tigers Ryan Harrison took a slashing penalty in overtime. During the Kill Linden Vey scooped up a bad pass from Spokane Chief Anthony Bardaro, rushed down the ice and hit the post. Seconds later the same Spokane player Anthony Bardara scored the game winner.

The Tigers finish their road trip Saturday taking the long trek to Cranbrook to face the Kootenay Ice in an important divisional game. The Tigers are 3-1-1-0 with 7 of 10 points in their road trip so far.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

I thought it was a no-contest. With perhaps an exception of the last game, Vey has been a dominant force in November. So much so that his development this year would be better suited for the ahl, but thankfully age rules restrict that:)

WHL BlurbThe 19 year-old forward from Wakaw, SK led all WHL scorers collected 29 points through the month of November finding the net 13 times and accumulating 16 assists to go along with a remarkable +20 rating. Vey went on a seven game goal scoring streak during November netting 10 goals during that span and 21 points. Some highlights include Vey scoring his third career hat-trick against the Swift Current Broncos and his second five point effort of the season in a victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings.WHL LINK

Schenn would be a lock for the world junior team. He might only play a few games with Brandon(if any at all) before Canada's Junior Team try-out camp begins. Schenn could be highly sought out trade bait coming closer to the trade deadline, if Brandon decided to move him. Schenn would certainly be a big boost to Brandon's offense in the meantime.

There are also rumors abuzz on the whiteboard that Brandon has a deal in the works to deal Brayden Schenn to an Eastern Conference team. Saskatoon's name has been thrown out quite a bit.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

The Tigers played their 4th game in 5 nights, combined with the fact they didn't arrive in Kennewick until 4:30 am due to heavy snow, you can bet they didn't have their legs under them. Fatigue was also evident by the penalties they took in the second half of the game. Deven Dubyk started in goal.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Well not really a surprise here. Leading scorer in the whl, he was also a part of the summer selection camp prior to the start of the season.

Team Canada's roster is going to be incredibly hard to crack. Checking out the HF boards thread on Team Canada, and listening to the Pipeline Show's segment on team Canada, they think Linden Vey might be looking in from the bubble trying to make this team. I think that if he plays like he has the last month he has a good shot at making it.

The U.S Selection Camp will be unveiled on December 7th.

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Linden Vey Earns WHL Player Of The Week Linden Vey's 7 game point streak coincides with the Tigers 7 game winning streak.WHL Link

Vey picked up nine points, scoring four goals and five assists to go with a +6 rating, in three games over the past week, helping the Tigers to a 3-0-0-0 record.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Very good start on their U.S road trip. Everett had a very good Home record at 8-3 prior to tonight's game. I listened to the Silvertips broadcast and they were hinting that the score could have been greater in favor of the Tigers.

Linden Vey had another 3 point night! 20 points in his last 6 games. Vey is averaging 2.45 points a game in November. Emerson Etem also had a 3 point night.

The Silvertips scored all 3 of their goals from 16 year old Jari Erricson. In fact it was his first 3 goals of his whl career. Apparently the Silvertips were fighting the injury bug a little, as they had 3 core guys out with injuries including former rebel Landon Ferarro.

Tigers face the powerhouse Portland Winterhawks tomorrow. This will be a true test on where the Tigers stand with the elite teams in the whl. Portland will be hungry for a win as they have lost 2 straight games. It will also be Portland's 3rd game in three nights.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

What a game. Linden Vey continues to dominate with Emerson Etem when they are on the ice. A 5 point game to take over the WHL scoring lead. 17 points in his last 5 games. Vey and Emerson Etem have some incredible mind-blowing chemistry together.

The Wacey Hamilton, Tyler Pitlick, Hunter Shinkaruk also continued to impress. Hunter Shinkaruk was given a ten minute misconduct for not having his mouth-guard in during play. He always has it out and is chewing on it, I guess he was given a warning and they finally nailed him on it.

I thought Reid Petryk also played real well. He sniped a shot in off the crossbar in the first period and he nicely filled in for Hunter Shinkaruk during his 10 minutes in the box.

I thought Sebastien Owuya is playing with more confidence on the ice. He is making the right plays more and more every day. I also really liked the play of Mathew Konan.

The Tigers also got their powerplay going scoring 2 powerplay goals.

I was extremely impressed when the Coaches gave powerplay time to Sebastien Owuya, Sam Dezman, Scott MacKay, Boston Leier and Reid Petryk. While They didn't score they moved the puck around so fluently they looked better than the first powerplay unit.

The Tigers mentioned on the radio that they consulted with their Goaltending coach and gave their forwards advice to shoot high on Brandon Goaltender Liam Liston and it worked pretty well. The Tigers have some pretty hard shots up front that would give any goalie trouble but Liam Liston had difficulties catching up with some of the lasers that beat him up high.

The Tigers are now off on a 6 game road trip through the incredibly powerful U.S division, and Kootenay. The Tigers will play 6 games in 8 days starting on Saturday in Everett.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

I thought the Tigers struggled a bit with their energy level, and they changed up their line combos in the second period. Tyler Bunz played really well in the first couple periods, and the Tigers eventually managed to pop in a few goals taking a 3-0 lead into the third period. Jace Coyle slapped a low shot through some bodies for his second of the year on the powerplay. Linden Vey and Emerson Etem connected short-handed, and Hunter Shinkaruk roofed a shot on the powerplay.

The Raiders wouldn't go away and they staged a late game comeback with Raider Defenseman Antoine Corbin, scoring 2 quick goals 43 seconds apart halfway through the third period. Both shots were screen shots from the point finding the back of the net.

The Raiders would get a powerplay Immediately after when the Tigers put too many men on the ice, however the Raiders failed to score. Tyler Pitlick would seal the game with an empty netter

Cole Grbavac got into another fight and he had a very spirited bout with Raiders Tyler Yaworski. They each got in a very good shot and some glancing blows.

NotesDylan Businius was scratched for the second straight game. Not sure If he is injured or if the coaches are just giving everyone equal ice-time.

I thought Sebastien Owuya has been improving steadily the last few games. Patrik Parkkonen has also played better but he still sometimes has puck control issues. Just before making a pass he looses the puck.

Linden Vey looked like he couldn't get his legs going fully yet he still scored a goal. Vey and Emerson had numerous chances to score shorthanded.

Hunter Shinkaruk kept his point streak going. The young 16 year old has points in 8 straight games.

Wacey Hamilton had a quiet 3 point night.

The Tigers are averaging 4 goals scored a game, and Give up 2.86 goals against.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Very good game by the Tigers tonight. They controlled the game from the get go. They fired 20 shots in the first period and Bronco's goaltender Mark Friesen stood on his head in the first period. Their only negative was that their powerplay was 0/8.

The Broncos I thought looked very flat, there wasn't any push-back in the second period, and they couldn't maintain any sustained pressure. They had an off night.

I thought the Tigers defense did a better job at head-manning the puck, making good crisp sharp passes.

Cole Grbavac won a very one-sided fight against Jordan Peddle after Peddle took offense to Grbavac crashing the crease.

Linden Vey is on an absolute tear. 11 points +12 in his last 3 Whl games. He had another 4 point night tonight.

InjuriesI didn't see Vahe Zakaryan on the ice late in the game. He took an awkward hit in the first period, so I assume he suffered an injury.

The broncos Stepan Novotny left the game and did not return after crashing into the goal trying to stop Linden Vey's hat-trick goal.

Bronco Defender Joel Rogers didn't see ice time in the third period.

Hunter Shinkaruk. This guy has improved tenfold since the start of the season. He was born in October so his draft year isn't until he reaches 18. Including this year he has 3 seasons to hone his game before the NHL draft. To say he will be a future 1st round NHL draft pick is very premature but he is something special to watch.

Hopefully the Tigers can keep this momentum going against the P.A Raiders Sunday. P.A was hammered tonight 6-1 by Kootenay.

I found a blog called Mayors Manor that Interviewed Linden Vey after the games against Russia. They talk about his games in the Super series, his expectations with medicine hat and other kings prospects he has played against. Interesting read check it out.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

The U-17 World Hockey Challenge Tournament will take place in Winnipeg Manitoba December 28th to January 4th. Shinkaruk will likely miss at least 4 Tiger Hockey games during that time frame. Shinkaruk has recently been playing top line minutes alongside Wacey Hamilton and Tyler Pitlick.

Super SeriesLinden Vey had 1 assist during a 7-6 SO Loss to the Russians. Team WHL had a 6-3 lead middle-way through the third period. Vey saw time on both the powerplay and penalty kill and was paired up with Red Deer's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Kamloop's Brendan Ranford. Vey's only assist saw him make a very nice cross ice pass on the powerplay to Saskatoon's Stefan Elliot who buried a hard wrister on net.

Vey was involved in the 5 round shootout. He made a nice move and had the goalie down and deked out, but he failed to lift the puck over an outstretched Russian pad.

Game TwoTeam Russia Defeated Team WHL 5-2. Linden Vey scored a goal and was named the WHL's mvp. I thought Vey looked better in the second game, his feet were moving more and he was hungrier for the puck. He was playing with Brandon's Scott Glennie and the Hitmen's Jimmy Bubnick.

Russia Wins the series for the first time since the series began. I guess the OHL has bragging rights. The OHL won both their games while the WHL, and QMJHL lost both theirs.

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There is an article on Gregg Drinnan's blog written by Kamloops sports writer Mark Hunter that talks about how Linden Vey and Joey Frazer had tough times getting to Kamloops with the bad weather.

By MARK HUNTERDaily News Sports Reporter

“It wasn’t the best trip, but that’s the way it goes,” said Vey, who is from Wakaw, Sask. “You can’t control the weather and you’ve just got to roll with it.”The original schedule had Vey driving from Medicine Hat to Calgary on Tuesday, then flying to Vancouver and then on to Kamloops. But poor conditions made the Trans-Canada Highway west of Medicine Hat almost impassable, and Vey and Tigers assistant coach Joey Frazer were forced to leave Wednesday.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

I really liked the line combo's used tonight. The Tigers finally found a good flow to go with. They were able to pen the Pats in their end for a good chunk of the game and took pressure off the Tigers defense. Their offensive gameplay has turned a corner.

---3 in 3With their 3rd game in 3 nights, the Tigers showed up tonight with some very good energy. Everyone was moving their legs and skating.

DefenseTigers defense is banged up a bit. Jace Coyle was not 100% as you could tell by his skating and Ridley mentioned it on the radio. They also said Matt Konan was out after blocking a shot in Moose Jaw yesterday. Their pk and defense will be glad for the week off to get back on track. It is still a work in progress.---

Linden VeyLinden Vey lead the way with a 4 point night. He has been so good lately the opposition's top lines are having trouble keeping him off the scoresheet. He is averaging 2 points a game in the month of November, and has vaulted up to 3rd in the WHL scoring race with games in hand on everyone.

ReginaStrictly offensively speaking 20 year old Thomas Frazee, 16 year old Chandler Stephenson and 18 year old Jordan Weal caught my eye for the pats. Frazee the former Tigers looked very big and had a real quick snapshot. Stephenson had a pretty quick set of wheels and Jordan Weal looked incredible quick. Weal could dart one way or another lightning quick and for a small guy he had a pitbullish demeanor. Although Weal looked frustrated during parts of the game.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Sounds like the Tigers had a tough first period but put up a real strong fight in the second and third periods. They were tied 3-3 with about 9 minutes left in the game when the Tigers struck 3 times to solidify their 2 points. Previous to Tonights game the warriors were on a 6 game win streak.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Russian RouletteI thought it was a very entertaining game. I thought the Tigers were playing Russian roulette for parts of the game. They had some very good moments then made a couple really poor decisions with the puck.

Tyler BunzUnfortunately Tyler Bunz didn't bring his best stuff either, he let in 2 weak goals along the ice and you could say that may have been the difference in the hockey game.

You can't sorely blame Bunz though. The Tigers failed to pick up a rebound on the Blades first goal and giving up a shorthanded odd man rush to one of the stars on the blades team didn't help his cause either.

Super Short Game SummaryThe Blades have a pretty quick team. The Tigers made a roaring comeback scoring 3 unanswered goals to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 1 goal lead.(That linden Vey/Hunter Shinkaruk goal off the faceoff was a beauty) The Tigers managed to hold the lead for a period but they ended up shooting them-self in the foot on the powerplay giving up a shorthanded goal to tie the game and a weak goal by Bunz in overtime.

UnluckyIts frustrating as a fan because the blades just had 2 power-plays before that. The Then the Tigers give up a gift with a shorthanded goal with 6 minutes left was a bit devastating.

The Tigers aren't an elite team yet, they are above average that has potential but still have pieces to the puzzle missing. However I think you can turn that into a good thing. A team that is peaking now would be hard pressed to improve in the playoffs, whereas the Tigers still have things to learn.

Darren DeitzI was keeping an eye on the local kid and he impressed. I thought he looked very patient, very poised, and made some defensive plays that shows he has a lot of hockey sense. I really liked his game on the back-end. Very solid 2 way player for a 17 year old. He was playing on the blades 2nd defensive pairing.

He did give up an odd man rush which Linden Vey almost scored on however it takes a special kind of player to pull off what Linden Vey did.

Linden VeyI thought Linden Vey had a tremendous game. He must have played 25ish minutes. He was the best tiger with Emerson Etem close behind.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

I thought the Tigers had a tough start but kept with it and were the beneficiaries of some poor goal-tending and some really lucky bounces. As the game went along the Tigers gained more confidence from their lead and Lethbridge looked like they were skating in water.

Lethbridge has a bunch of real solid body defenders and they were pretty adamant about protecting their goaltender.

Emerson EtemThought he was flying out there. Had another really good game. He has scored in 3 straight games.

Dylan BuseniusI thought he was the best Tiger Defenseman on the ice tonight. He played smart and did all the little things right. I thought he showed some good mobility for a bigger player. I like how his development has been coming along recently.

Hunter ShinkarukI keep liking watching this kid play. So passionate on the ice and plays with heart. I noticed his mouth guard is always half out being chewed on. Mike Reddington from the Canes also noticed this and gave him a little shot trying to swat the mouth guard out of his mouth. I thought that was pretty funny.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

A bunch of Chilliwack fans in attendance tonight. If you missed Tonight's game you missed a very good hockey game. Both teams were very physical and skating like the wind.

How often do you see both goalies score on themselves? It happened to both teams goaltenders tonight. I guess having the other guy do the same thing will take the sting out of it a little.

Jace Coyle InjuryThe Tigers lost Jace Coyle midway through the second period after a heavy hit along the boards. When he got up he was limping, apparently he banged up his knee so says the coaches after the game.

After the hit a number of Chilliwack players were going "woooo" to celebrate their teams big hit. The Tigers fans sure picked up on it and were wooing the Chilliwack gang out of the building at games end.

It was a very physical game. I thought the Tiger forwards did an excellent job at helping clear the front of the net and getting the puck out of the zone with players breathing down their neck. I thought Jace Coyle had a very rough night, he didn't play well, Thomas Carr had some good moments but also had some bad moments.

Hunter ShinkarukI was impressed with the play of Hunter Shinkaruk again. It took him a while to get going but once he did he was creating chances and was a key contributor. It looked like tonight he got much more ice-time than usual and he performed very well. Was a little surprised to see he was a -2 on the night.

Vahe ZakaryanI haven't really notice him on the ice very much compared to other players but he never seems to make a bad play. I hope when Pitlick comes back Vahe and Shinkaruk can create some chemistry with Grbavac. Or whoever they else they will play with. He could be one of those dark horse players who all of a sudden gets on a roll.

Patrik Parkkonen Chillwack forward Brendan Persley raced across the Ice and leveled Parkonenn Parkkonen got up and didn't seem to show any I'll effects from the hit.

Any player is fair game for a hit but when you see a player book it after the smallest player on the ice I was more than happy to see Mathew Konan skate over to Persley and throw some uppercuts his way.

Edit: Watched the video changed my mind:) Initially thought it was charging but It wasn't. It was a clean hit, ref had it right.

After a brief discussion and nod from each player they engaged in a very spirited 'bout. Konan was given an instigator penalty on the play. I'm not 100% sure on the ruling but in past fights when their was a discussion before dropping the mitts the instigator has not been called.

Too Many MenRight before Chilliwack's 4th goal The refs and linesman missed a too many men on the ice non-call. There was 6 Chilliwackers on the ice defending, they broke up the ice out of their zone, realized they had to many players and got real lucky with the non-call. Had Chillwack tied the game, that would have sent everyone into a frenzy.

Emerson Etem and Linden Vey had very good nights. Etem with the hat-trick, Vey with a couple breakaways and 3 point game. Cole Grbavac played solid. The young D-men played well. Lot of people I talked to said Valk played well. I thought he struggled a bit. HE was hit hard 3-4 times and couldn't get good wood on a couple chances he had on the powerplay.

Kale KesseyHe threw a couple good hits like he always does, and earned the hit of the night. He drew a penalty stirring up Ryan Howse at the faceoff circle then received a cross-checked to the back. Although his puck handling skills tonight were off, every-time he had the puck he couldn't keep it on his stick.

DefensemanUnless the defensman starts upping their game and playing more consistent, the Tigers may need to look at bringing in another defenseman sometime down the road if they plan on challenging for the WHL title. Its still early in the season but imo they are lacking a #1 2 way defensive stud who can eat huge minutes and play in both ends.

Jace Coyle looks like he is struggling at times perhaps being used more than he is used to.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Game ThoughtsI thought the Tigers threw the body out a little more tonight. They certainly gave Kootenay some war wounds.

I thought the Tigers played very well for the first two periods. Previously they have been having trouble breaking out of their end when pressured.

They played much better breaking out of their own end and controlled the flow of play. Crisp Tape to tape passes and guys furiously skating to get into position when they didn't have the puck. The Tigers won the first two periods. (Although there were two brutal giveaways which gave Kootenay mini-breakaways which Tyler Bunz stopped)

Kootenay managed to hang around and keep the game close and capitalized on some chances in the third period. In the third period suddenly the Tiger forwards were taking off early miles down the Ice trying for home run passes and Kootenay was forcing turnovers.

Kootenay already without their top defenceman in Brayden Mcnabb, saw Paul Martin injured after he fought Kale Kessey in the second period. He didn't return until 10 minutes remained in the third with a new jersey and a full face shield. Hayden Rintoul was also injured I didn't see him out in the third period.

Nathan Lieuwen played real strong in net and didn't give the Tigers any easy goals.

Wacey HamiltonThe onus is on him to play more disciplined. He cost his team dearly taking two dumb penalties. A lazy hook and Kootenay scored on the powerplay. Then a lazy slash which negated a Tigers powerplay in the dieing minutes.

Emerson EtemProbably his best game this year at the Arena. He had 4-5 top notch scoring opportunities including hitting a post. Lieuwen will give him nightmares about a few of his chances.

Curtis ValkNice to see him snipe one in off the crossbar. He has a ton of skill but behind a lot of guys on the depth charts.

Nathan LieuwenPlayed unreal. He displayed an incredible lateral movement ability and was very square to the shooter. His style reminded me a lot of Tyler Bunz.

3. KTN Antilla, (6) (Magnus, Ismond), 2:55 Jesse Ismond made a nice move to deke around Scott McKay. Ismond fed it to a wide open Christian Magnus who took a shot with the net half open but Tyler Bunz made a nice save. Joe Antilla swatted home an easy rebound.

3. KTN Fraser, (5) (King, Leach), 14:52 (PP)Matt Fraser corralled a loose puck in the corner walked out into the high slot and fired a shot top shelf.

Monday, October 25, 2010

STOCKTON, Calif. -The Stockton Thunder, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks, and head coach Matt Thomas announced today the team has signed rookie right winger Bretton Cameron. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

---------Pitlick Suspended Three Games The player he hit(Nathan Deck) P.A's 20 year old captain has a torn MCL and will miss 4-6 weeks.

Pitlick has served 1 game so far. If anyone has a video of the hit please email me:)-----------

Tigers Vs Kootenay TonightKooteney Will be another good test to see where the Tigers are at. Kootenay is on a 4 game winning streak and is 7-2-0-1 in their last 10 games.

Kootenay's Defensive Stud Brayden Mcnabb will be a game-time decision as he nurses a shoulder injury. Kootenay's Brendan Hurley is also out with a hand injury.

It will be the first game between the two since last year when the Tigers knocked the Ice out of the playoffs in 6 games. Kootenay practiced yesterday in the hat so they will be well rested and prepared with a chip on their shoulder.

The Tigers have been consistently giving up 30+ shots every game this season. That doesn't look very good from the team defensive side of things.

---

Sounds like Tyler Bunz had a pretty good game against the warriors. The Tigers were the better team in the first 2 periods, but the warriors turned the pressure on in the third period and took it to them.

A side note local Hat Kid Ryan Aasman was traded to the Swift Current broncos from Seattle for a 5th round pick. Ryan Aasman is an 18 year old and stands 5'10 180 lbs. This is his 3rd whl team. He has been held pointless and was a -2 in 8 games for seattle with 2 penalty minutes.

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Team WHL vs RussiaAnnounced Today. Linden Vey Will be the only Tiger on the squad. He will participate in both games.

These games let team Canada get a better look at players that may be eligible for the upcoming WJC, hence why no Tyler Pitlick or Emerson Etem on the list. I am disappointed that Bunz wasn't selected for a game. Probably means he will have to start playing lights out if he wants any consideration for a WJC camp invite.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

The line of Tyler Pitlick, Linden Vey, and Ryan Harrison was a force every time they were on the ice. These three have looked good together.

The Tigers need that same kind of pressure from the Emerson Etem, Wacey Hamilton, Kessey line when they are out.

Wacey Hamilton scored a beauty of a goal going on a coast to coast rush splitting the D and depositing the puck upstairs on Cam Lanigan.

I'm really liking what Hunter Shinkaruk is bringing to the ice. He scored his first whl goal tonight ( A rebound on the powerplay) and I liked his hustle and determination. He has an impressive 5 points in 6 games. I think he should be able to push the vets for more icetime as the season progresses, perhaps even supplant someone on the 2nd line?

Cole Grbavac is "one of the" unsung heroes for the Tigers so far. Often he takes shifts with a pair of rookies on his line, and he has still put up good numbers with 5 points in 7 games

Tyler Bunz was hot one minute and shaky the next. He made a nice breakaway stop, an incredible 2 on 1 pad save, and stopped a handful of Oil King close calls, but he also let in a couple goals he would have liked to have back, and his rebound control wasn't very good tonight.

Edit: Slight re-wordingI didn't like Jace Coyle's Defensive game tonight during the first two periods. He had a couple defensive breakdowns and I noticed a few times where he was afraid to get hit in the corner and let the opponent outwork him. He's hesitating and holding on to the puck too long before making a first pass.

Scott McKay took 3 minor penalties :(

Sebastien Owuya was scratched and is day-to-day with a muscle pull.

I thought the defensive play of both teams was un-coordinated at times. Miss-communication leaving a man open was common.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Apparently the Tigers started off the game very slow not getting their first shot on net until the first period was half over. Edmonton's lack of finish in the first period would come to haunt them as the Oil Kings fired 15 shots on net but Tyler Bunz held the fort.

Kale Kessey was back on the ice and scored 2 goals in his season debut. Another positive was that the Tigers managed to score 6 even strength goals. Thomas Carr was a team high +4 on the night.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Kale Kessy hopes he will finally get to make his debut in the current WHL regular season this weekend.

This power forward for the Medicine Hat Tigers has been out for a little over a month due to an injury, which almost occurred by a freak accident. During the team’s 4-1 pre-season victory over the Broncos in Swift Current back on Sept. 10, Kessy went to throw a bodycheck on an opposing player, missed and slammed awkwardly into the boards.

He ended up aggravating a bone in his upper thigh area, which has kept him out of the Tigers lineup since that time. His wait to get back into the lineup might come to an end this weekend as the Tigers travel to Edmonton to take on the Oil Kings on Friday. Both teams will also face each other in the Gas City on Saturday (7:30 p.m., The Arena).Read the Full Article at the Medicine Hat News--------------------

Also a few former Tigers are having very strong starts in the nhl.Tyler Ennis has 4 assists in 4 gamesClarke MacArthur has 4 goals and 1 assist in 3 games.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Unfortunately the team that doesn't like to skate or hit somehow played most of the game.

The Tigers played hockey for about 10 minutes tonight. 2 In the first period and 8 in the third period. A lack of consistent play seems to be the theme early in the season.

First PeriodSecond Period*Deleted*The second period was the worst period of hockey the Tigers have played in that rink in the last 8 years....Wish I was kidding.

Last 8 MinutesThe fans that left early completely missed the best part of the game.

The Tigers turned it around a complete 180. Down 4-1 Tyler Pitlick swatted in a Jace Coyle rebound then a minute later Vahe Zakaryan made an incredible move scooping up the puck and doing a wrap around to beat Cougars netminder James Priestner (one of the quickest wraparounds I've ever seen, Tyler Ennis like) To make it a 4-3 game. The Tigers continued to hound the zone.

Jace Coyle lobbed a shot on net and it rang off the post. The arena was rocking with only 1/2 the fans left in the building.

Unfortunately all was for naught as the Cougars Charles Inglis managed to score on an empty net breakaway to seal the deal 5-3.

Tiger Thoughts

Gotta give Kudos to Cole Grbavac, Wacey Hamilton, and Sam Dezman. They all showed tons of heart during a very tough stretch of gameplay. Grbavac with 2 fights, and physical play. Dezman with a fight and physical play. Hamilton was moving his feet and trying to get something started.

Can anyone confirm if Dezman was back on the ice after the fight? I cant remember if I saw him or not.

Devan Dubyk just didn't have it tonight. He looked slow reacting to the puck, and was juggling rebounds all night.

Ryan Harrison had a few real good shifts after Tigers forwards couldn't get open and he had to carry the puck. He did make one bad giveaway that Dubyk stopped.

Sebastien Owuya is reaching for the puck too much, he needs to be more physical. Jace Coyle I thought played an up and down game. Wasn't moving his legs and was getting outworked for the puck. But made a couple nice rushes up the ice.

Emerson Etem was working harder on the ice than last weekend.

So many passes that didn't connect. The Tigers gotta find a way to break out of their zone when the opponent is using an aggressive forecheck. I thought the forwards were cheating a lot breaking out of the zone to early. They played too high up the boards and nobody was crossing the middle looking for a breakout pass.

A couple of the defenceman seem to be just throwing the puck up the boards to uncontested areas

Cougar ThoughtsTheir goalie James Priestner is really vocal in net. He was Yelling how much time was left on the powerplay, and when a Tigers forward was left unprotected in the slot. Its not often you can hear a player from where I sit but then again you could hear a pin drop for parts of the game tonight.

Cougars have a really big team and they showed tonight they can skate pretty well, when they work hard. They displayed a ton of confidence when the Tigers weren't skating.

I was impressed by the offensive ability of defensman #28 Martin Marincin. He has a big frame and a very long reach. He has a nice offensive flair to his game being able rush up ice on the powerplay and smoothly skate past opponents with solid puck control. Turns out he is Oilers property ( the 46th selection) I like that pick for them.

I can see why Brett Connolly was a first round pick. He looks real solid, will go into dirty areas and has a laser of a shot.

Spencer Asuchak, 6'4 215lbs He is a huge presence in front of the net. He scored 2 goals tonight and looked pretty good.

Tyler Pitlick hammered Caleb Belter along the boards and he left the ice right away. Looked like a shoulder injury. Cougar players started keying on Pitlick after that but he rose to the occasion and played very well during the last stages of the game.

Jesse Forsberg played a solid game. He laid a lickin' getting into a fight with Tigers Cole Grbavac after a high tempo'd missed check. Forsberg seems to make good first pass and seems to have a high Hockey IQ.

I wish PG came to town more often. They have some players I want to watch again and get a better understanding of their game.

Bretton Cameron is making a strong case to stick with the Hartford wolfpack of the AHL. He is there on a tryout contract and has scored a couple goals in preseason play. He will be in tough to make their roster but he is making a case for himself to stay.

Thomas Kundratek is also with the Hartford Wolfpack, he was one of the rangers first cuts.

Mark Isherwood was just recently cut from (AHL) Peoria Rivermen and sent to the Alaska Aces (ECHL)

---------Road Game Tonight against the Calgary Hitmen.

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Former Tiger on the MoveCody Carlson was just traded to the Prince George Cougars for Art Bidlevskii. The Tigers play P.G on saturday. So we could likely see him play.

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About Me

I have been a big Medicine Hat Tigers fan since I was old enough to comprehend the game of hockey.

I'm not a reporter or affiliated with the Tigers organization in anyway.

Tiger fans love their hockey and I created this blog as a means for fans to stay updated on the current Tigers news, as well as throw in my input from time to time.
I can be reached at tigertrauma@gmail.com, but I don't check that email.